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United States Patent |
6,049,840
|
Shibuya
,   et al.
|
April 11, 2000
|
System for providing an interrogating host with information including
start-up processing status of a peripheral device stored in storing
means
Abstract
An interface control system overcomes deficiencies of by adopting a
structure comprising host computers connected with peripheral devices,
each host computer including a start-up status recognition unit and each
peripheral device having a start-up status notification unit. The start-up
status recognition unit receives information about start-up processing
progress status of a peripheral device of interest, and peripheral device
information including identification information about a parent device
causing the peripheral device to perform start-up processing. The
peripheral device information is transmitted to host computers by the
start-up status notification unit of each peripheral device. Before a host
computer causes a peripheral device to perform start-up processing, the
start-up status recognition unit of the host recognizes the start-up
status of the peripheral device in question on the basis of the received
start-up processing status information and peripheral device information.
Knowing the peripheral device start-up status allows the host computer to
determine the necessity of starting up the peripheral device in question,
whereby unnecessary start-up processing is averted and the efficiency of
system operation is enhanced.
Inventors:
|
Shibuya; Akiko (Sagamihara, JP);
Imai; Tsuneo (Ebina, JP)
|
Assignee:
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Hitachi, Ltd. (Tokyo, JP)
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Appl. No.:
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913690 |
Filed:
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January 29, 1998 |
PCT Filed:
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March 20, 1995
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PCT NO:
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PCT/JP95/00504
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371 Date:
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January 28, 1998
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102(e) Date:
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January 28, 1998
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PCT PUB.NO.:
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WO96/29654 |
PCT PUB. Date:
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September 26, 1996 |
Current U.S. Class: |
710/5; 710/62; 710/72; 710/74 |
Intern'l Class: |
G06F 013/14 |
Field of Search: |
710/5,62,72,74
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
4393459 | Jul., 1983 | Huntley et al. | 364/900.
|
5659801 | Aug., 1997 | Kopsaftis | 395/825.
|
5737757 | Apr., 1998 | Hassoun et al. | 711/145.
|
5809521 | Sep., 1998 | Steinmetz | 711/116.
|
5826103 | Oct., 1998 | Whittaker | 395/828.
|
Primary Examiner: Lee; Thomas C.
Assistant Examiner: Elamin; Abdelmoniem
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Antonelli, Terry, Stout & Kraus, LLP
Claims
We claim:
1. An interface control system for use with an information processing
system constituted by a bidirectionally communicable bus, a peripheral
device connected to the bus, and a host computer connected to said bus for
designating start-up processing of said peripheral device, said peripheral
device comprising:
storage means for storing peripheral device information including the
start-up processing status of said peripheral device; and
transmission means for transmitting said peripheral device information to
said host computer in response to a request by said host computer;
wherein said host computer verifies the start-up processing status of said
peripheral device on the basis of said peripheral device information
received from said peripheral device.
2. An interface control system according to claim 1, further comprising a
plurality of host computers connected to said bus;
wherein said peripheral device holds in said storage means said peripheral
device information including an identifier identifying a host computer
having issued a start-up processing request to said peripheral device,
said host computer using said peripheral device information as a basis for
identifying the host computer designating start-up processing of said
peripheral device.
3. An interface control system according to claim 2, wherein said host
computer issues an information request command to request said peripheral
device information before issuing a start-up processing request command to
said peripheral device, and wherein said peripheral device includes said
peripheral device information in return data transmitted in response to
said information request command.
4. An interface control system according to claim 3, wherein said host
computer issues a start-up processing request if said peripheral device
has yet to perform start-up processing.
5. An interface control system according to claim 3, wherein, if said
peripheral device is either performing or has completed start-up
processing, said host computer checks to see if the host computer issuing
said start-up processing request command is said host computer, said host
computer further desisting from issuing a start-up processing request
command if the host computer issuing said start-up processing request
command is not said host computer.
6. An interface control system according to claim 3, wherein, if said
peripheral device is performing start-up processing and if the host
computer issuing said start-up processing request command is said host
computer, said host computer resets said peripheral device and thereafter
issues a start-up processing request command.
7. An interface control system according to claim 6, wherein said bus is an
SCSI-2 bus and the peripheral device information request command is an
inquiry command.
8. An interface control system for use with an information processing
system constituted by a bidirectionally communicable bus, a peripheral
device connected to the bus, and a host computer connected to said bus for
designating start-up processing of said peripheral device, wherein:
said peripheral device comprises storage means for storing start-up status
information indicating a start-up processing status of said peripheral
device;
when initiating start-up processing upon receipt of a start-up processing
request from said host computer, said peripheral device sets said start-up
status information to indicate a start-up processing which is in progress,
said peripheral device further setting, upon completion of start-up
processing, said start-up status information to indicate the completion of
start-up processing; and
said peripheral device transmits said start-up status information in
response to said host computer.
9. An interface control system according to claim 8, further comprising a
plurality of host computers connected to said bus, wherein:
said peripheral device holds an identifier identifying the host computer
which has issued said start-up processing request; and
said peripheral device outputs said identifier in response to a request
from said host computer.
10. An interface control system according to claim 9, wherein said bus is
Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) bus and said identifier is an SCSI
identification (ID) received from a host computer during a selection
phase.
11. An interface control system according to claim 10, wherein said host
computer issues an information request command to request said peripheral
device information before issuing said start-up processing request to said
peripheral device, and wherein said peripheral device has said peripheral
device information included in return data transmitted in response to said
information request command.
12. A start-up processing method for a host computer to start up a
peripheral device connected to said host computer via a bidirectionally
communicable bus, said start-up processing method comprising the steps of:
issuing a peripheral device status verification request to said peripheral
device before issuing a start-up processing request to said peripheral
device;
analyzing start-up status identification information included in return
data transmitted from said peripheral device in response to the
verification request, said start-up status identification information
included in said return data indicating the status of start-up processing
execution of said peripheral device;
issuing another start-up request to said peripheral device if said
peripheral device has yet to execute startup processing; and
suppressing the issue of a start-up processing request if said peripheral
device has completed the start-up processing.
13. A start-up processing method according to claim 12, wherein said return
data includes parent device identification information for identifying a
host computer which has issued a start-up processing request, said
start-up processing method further comprising the steps of:
if said analyzing step finds that said peripheral device is performing the
start-up processing, determining if the host computer which has issued the
start-up processing request is said host computer;
if the host computer which has issued the start-up processing request is
said host computer, resetting said peripheral device before issuing a
start-up processing request; and
if the host computer which has issued the start-up processing request is
not said host computer, suppressing the issue of a start-up processing
request.
14. A start-up processing method for host computers to start up a
peripheral device connected to said host computers via a bidirectionally
communicable bus, said peripheral device including storage means for
storing both start-up status information indicating a start-up processing
status of said peripheral device and parent device information identifying
a host computer having issued a start-up processing request to said
peripheral device, said start-up processing method comprising the steps
of:
upon receipt of a start-up processing request from a host computer,
initiating start-up processing by storing an identifier of the host
computer as said parent device information into said storage means;
changing said start-up status information in accordance with progress in
start-up processing; and
upon receipt of a start-up status verification request from said host
computer to said peripheral device, retrieving said start-up status
information and said parent device information from said storage means for
transmission back to said host computer.
15. A host computer connected to a peripheral device via a bidirectionally
communicable bus and capable of starting up said peripheral device, said
host computer comprising:
request issuance means for issuing a status verification request to said
peripheral device before issuing a start-up processing request to said
peripheral device;
analysis means for analyzing start-up status identification information
included in return data transmitted from said peripheral device in
response to said status verification request, said start-up status
identification information indicating the status of start-up processing
execution of said peripheral device, wherein:
if said peripheral device has yet to perform start-up processing, said host
computer issues another start-up request to said peripheral device; and
if said peripheral device has completed start-up processing, said host
computer suppresses the issue of any start-up processing request.
16. A host computer according to claim 15, wherein said return data further
includes parent device identification information identifying the host
computer which has issued said start-up processing request, said host
computer further comprising:
judgment means for judging, when analysis by said analysis means reveals
that said peripheral device is performing start-up processing, whether the
host computer which has issued said start-up processing request is said
host computer; and
request issuance means for issuing, when judgment by said judgment means
shows that the host computer which has issued said start-up processing
request is said host computer, said start-up processing request after
resetting said peripheral device, said request issuance means further
suppressing the issue of a start-up processing request when judgment by
said judgment means reveals that the host computer which has issued said
start-up processing request is not said host computer.
17. A peripheral device connected to a host computer via a bidirectionally
communicable bus, said peripheral device comprising:
storage means for storing both start-up status information indicating
start-up processing status of said peripheral device and parent device
information identifying a host computer which has issued a start-up
processing request to said peripheral device;
start-up initiation means acting when a start-up processing request is
received from a host computer, said start-up initiation means thereupon
initiating start-up processing by storing an identifier of the host
computer into said storage means as said parent device information;
information change means for changing said start-up status information in
accordance with progress in start-up processing; and
information retrieval and returning means acting upon receipt of a start-up
status verification request from a host computer, said information
retrieval and returning means thereupon retrieving said start-up status
information and said parent device information from said storage means for
transmission back to said host computer.
18. A peripheral device according to claim 17, wherein said host computer
comprises:
request issuance means for issuing said status verification request to said
peripheral device before issuing said start-up processing request to said
peripheral device; and
analysis means for analyzing the start-up status identification information
included in said return data transmitted from said peripheral device in
response to said status verification request, said start-up status
identification information indicating the status of start-up processing
execution of said peripheral device.
19. A peripheral device according to claim 18, wherein said host computer
issues another start-up request to said peripheral device when said
peripheral device has yet to perform start-up processing, and suppresses
the issue of any start-up processing request when said peripheral device
has completed the start-up processing.
20. A peripheral device according to claim 19, wherein said return data
includes parent device identification information for identifying the host
computer which has issued said start-up processing request, and wherein
said host computer further comprises:
judgment means for judging, when analysis by said analysis means reveals
that said peripheral device is performing start-up processing, whether the
host computer which has issued said start-up processing request is said
host computer; and
request issuance means for issuing, when judgment by said judgment means
shows that the host computer which has issued said start-up processing
request is said host computer, said start-up processing request after
resetting said peripheral device, said request issuance means further
suppressing the issue of a start-up processing request when judgment by
said judgment means reveals that the host computer which has issued said
start-up processing request is not said host computer.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an interface control system for use with
an information processing system having a bidirectionally communicable
interface interconnecting a plurality of host computers and a peripheral
device, such as a printer. More particularly, the invention relates to an
interface control system for reliably starting up appropriate peripheral
devices while leaving unnecessary peripherals inactive, whereby the
efficiency of system operation is enhanced.
A conventional information processing system of the type outlined above
will now be described. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a typical
example of a conventional information processing system. In FIG. 3, the
system includes host computers 31, host adapters 32, for an I/O bus 33,
peripheral devices 36 (e.g., printer), a controller 34 controlling the
peripheral devices 36, and units 35 (e.g., printer engine) controlled by
the controller 34. A single controller 34 may control a plurality of units
connected thereto.
The I/O bus 33 is a bidirectionally communicable bus generally connected
with devices each having a parent or child function. A parent function
device (called a parent device hereunder) is a device that acquires the
right to use the I/O bus and causes another device connected with the I/O
bus to operate. A child function device (called a child device hereunder)
is a device that performs the operation required by the parent device.
Generally, host computers act as parent devices and peripheral devices
assume the role of child devices. Sometimes a peripheral device may also
act as a parent device.
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram outlining an example of the operation of a
conventional interface control system. What is shown in FIG. 4 is a
sequence of interface control processing steps carried out after a device
on the I/O bus is switched on or after a peripheral device has been reset.
With a peripheral device reset or switched on (401), a host computer issues
a command (402) requesting the peripheral device to report information
about itself (e.g., the type of the device and the presence or absence of
data to be downloaded). The information allows the host computer to
identify the peripheral device connected to the I/O bus. In response to
such a command, the peripheral device sends return data (403). The host
computer then transmits to the peripheral device a command for executing
start-up processing (404). The peripheral device performs start-up
processing (405). If there is no interruption, such as a command reception
from another parent device (406a), the peripheral device terminates
start-up processing (407) and notifies the host computer of the end of
start-up processing (408). This completes the whole start-up processing.
The procedure made of the above series of steps prepares the host computer
to proceed with an ordinary process such as printing (409). The
conventional technique above is described illustratively in Japanese
Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 5-165588.
In the above procedure, there may occur an interruption (406b) in which the
peripheral device has its ongoing start-up processing interrupted upon
receipt of a command from another host computer connected to the I/O bus.
Such an interruption foils the start-up processing of the peripheral,
which is reset individually at that point (410). The peripheral device
then enters a standby state (411) to wait for commands from a host
computer (i.e., a command requesting information about the peripheral
device, a command for executing start-up processing). This means that
start-up processing carried out so far is wasted. The host computer must
call on the peripheral device again to perform start-up processing. Thus,
it takes more time than should be necessary to carry out start-up
processing.
The bottleneck above is circumvented conventionally by one of two measures:
using either a changeover switch attached to the I/O bus to prevent any
noncommunicative device from interfering with other sequences on the I/O
bus, or software for automatically switching the right to use the I/O bus
between devices. However, these measures are time-consuming and not
practical because they require the two devices concerned to communicate
with each other through a different medium.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to bypass the above and
other bottlenecks and to provide an interface control system for allowing
an information processing system to eliminate the wasted phase of start-up
processing of peripheral devices for more efficient system operation.
In carrying out the invention, and according to one aspect thereof, there
is provided an interface control system for use with an information
processing system constituted by a bidirectionally communicable bus, a
peripheral device connected to the bus, and a host computer connected to
the bus for designating start-up processing of the peripheral device, the
peripheral device comprising: storage means for storing peripheral device
information including the start-up processing status of the peripheral
device; and transmission means for transmitting the peripheral device
information to the host computer in response to a request by the host
computer; wherein the host computer verifies the start-up processing
status of the peripheral device on the basis of the peripheral device
information received from the peripheral device.
In the above structure, the peripheral device is made to retain information
about its start-up status and to transmit the information to the host
computer at the request of the latter. Given the information, the host
computer grasps the start-up status of the peripheral device. This allows
the host computer to issue normal processing requests and other commands,
such as a start-up processing request as needed.
Preferably, where a plurality of host computers are connected to the bus,
the peripheral device may hold in the storage means peripheral device
information including an identifier identifying a host computer which has
issued a start-up processing request to the peripheral device. A host
computer may receive the peripheral device information and use it to
verify whether the host computer designating start-up processing of the
peripheral device is its own host computer or another host. This structure
allows host computers to proceed with their operation according to the
situation and to see if the peripheral device of interest has completed or
has yet to perform start-up processing.
In another preferred structure of the invention, the host computer may
issue an information request command to request the peripheral device
information before issuing a start-up processing request command to the
peripheral device. This allows the host computer to issue another start-up
processing command or to desist from issuing one according to the content
of the peripheral device information, whereby execution of wasteful
start-up processing is averted. (That is, the host computer may issue a
start-up processing request command when the peripheral device has yet to
perform start-up processing, and may refrain from issuing that command
when the peripheral device has completed start-up processing or is
executing it normally.)
If the peripheral device is executing start-up processing abnormally or has
completed it erroneously (i.e., where the host computer does not or cannot
recognize whether or not the peripheral device has started up), then the
host computer may reset the peripheral device before starting it up again.
This makes it easy for the system to recover from its abnormal state.
As outlined above, the inventive system overcomes deficiencies of the prior
art by adopting a structure comprising host computers connected with
peripheral devices, each host computer including start-up status
recognition means and each peripheral device having start-up status
notification means. The start-up status recognition means receives
information about start-up processing progress status of a peripheral
device of interest and peripheral device information including
identification information about a parent device causing the peripheral
device to perform start-up processing. The peripheral device information
is transmitted to host computers by the start-up status notification means
of each peripheral device. Before a host computer causes a peripheral
device to perform start-up processing, the start-up status recognition
means of the host recognizes the start-up status of the peripheral device
in question on the basis of the received start-up processing status
information and peripheral device information. Knowing the peripheral
device start-up status allows the host computer to determine whether it is
necessary to start up the peripheral device in question, whereby
unnecessary start-up processing is averted and the efficiency of system
operation is enhanced.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a flowchart of steps in which a parent device of the embodiment
operates;
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a typical example of a conventional
information processing system;
FIG. 4 is a functional diagram outlining operations in a conventional
interface control system;
FIG. 5 is a more detailed block diagram of the embodiment of the invention;
and
FIG. 6 is a table that lists peripheral device information held by a
peripheral device.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
An interface control system in an information processing system embodying
the invention will now be described in detail with reference to the
accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the information
processing system embodying the invention, and FIG. 5 is a more detailed
block diagram of the embodiment.
In FIG. 1, the system includes a host computer 11 having a parent function;
start-up status recognition means 12 in the host computer 11; an I/O bus
13; a peripheral device 14 having a child function; and start-up status
notification means 15 in the peripheral device 14.
The parent device is a device that acquires the right to use the I/O bus 13
and requests another device connected with the I/O bus 13 to operate. The
child device is a device that performs the operation requested by a parent
device.
The peripheral device information 16 which flows on the I/O bus 13,
includes start-up status information 17 and parent device information 18.
The start-up status information 17 indicates the start-up processing
progress status of the peripheral device that originated the information.
The parent device information 18 identifies the parent device causing the
peripheral device in question to perform start-up processing.
The I/O bus 13 is a bidirectionally communicable bus. This may be an SCSI
(Small Computer System Interface) bus based on the SCSI-2 interface.
The start-up status notification means 15 in each peripheral device 14
transmits peripheral device information 16 to a host computer 11.
Illustratively in response to a command from the host computer 11, the
start-up status notification means 15 transmits return data supplemented
with the peripheral device information 16 to the host.
The start-up status recognition means 12 in each host computer 11
recognizes the start-up processing progress status of the peripheral
device 14 and identifies the parent device causing the peripheral device
14 to perform start-up processing. Recognition of the status and
identification of the parent device are accomplished on the basis of the
start-up status information 17 and parent device information 18 included
in the peripheral device information 16. The peripheral device information
16 is contained in the return data sent from the peripheral device 14.
FIG. 5 is a more detailed block diagram of the information processing
system in FIG. 1. The host computer 11 is interfaced with its user through
a CRT 51 for output of information, a keyboard 52 for input of
information, an FDD 53 serving as external storage, a BIOS (Basic
Input-Output System) 54 for controlling the FDD, keyboard and CRT; an I/O
system 55, an interface board 56 connected with the I/O bus 13, a host
adapter 57, an OS 58 for controlling these components, and internal
memory.
The peripheral device 14 comprises an interface board 59 connected to the
I/O bus 13, a peripheral device controller 60 for controlling connections
between the interface board 59 and other devices connected to the I/O bus
13, a CGROM 61 holding character fonts and other data, a CPU 62 for
controlling the peripheral device in question, a program ROM 63 holding
programs for controlling the peripheral device, a RAM 64 acting as a work
memory, a peripheral device unit 65 for executing an actual (print)
operation, an engine interface control circuit 66 for controlling the unit
65, and an interrupt controller 67 for controlling interrupt signals.
The start-up status notification means 15 mentioned above corresponds to
the programs held in the program ROM 63 and the CPU 62 operating on the
programs of the peripheral device 14.
The start-up status recognition means 12 also described above corresponds
to the OS 58 in the host computer 11.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart of steps in which the host computer 11 causes the
peripheral device 14 to perform start-up processing. With the peripheral
device 14 switched on or reset (step 201), the host computer 11 issues a
command requesting peripheral device information 16 (step 202) from the
peripheral device before operation of the latter. In response to the
command, the peripheral device 14 sends back to the host computer 11
return data including peripheral device information (step 203).
The host computer 11 interprets the start-up status information 17 about
the peripheral device 14 included in the peripheral device information,
thereby recognizing the start-up processing progress status of the
peripheral device 14 (step 204). If no host computer has yet to request
the peripheral device 14 to perform start-up processing (step 204a), the
host computer 11 monopolizes the peripheral device 14 to protect the
interface therewith from interference by any other device (step 205). The
host computer then issues a start-up processing execution command to the
peripheral device (step 206), thus initiating start-up processing of the
peripheral device (step 207). Upon receipt of a start-up processing end
report from the peripheral device (step 208), the host computer
relinquishes the peripheral device (step 209) so that any other device
connected with the I/O bus may use it.
If the host computer recognizes from the start-up status information that
the peripheral device is currently executing start-up processing (step
204b), the host computer in question checks the parent device information
18 in the peripheral device information to see which host computer is
causing the peripheral device to perform start-up processing. If the
parent device starting up the peripheral device is not that host computer
(210b), the host computer waits for the peripheral device to terminate
start-up processing normally, and then issues instructions such as a
command to the peripheral device (step 214).
In the process above, the host computer using its start-up status
recognition means checks the start-up status information to recognize the
start-up status of the peripheral device. This allows the host computer to
use the peripheral device without causing it to perform superfluous
start-up processing.
If the host computer finds from the parent device information that it is
the parent device causing the peripheral device to execute start-up
processing (step 210a), that means one of two things: either the host
computer went down while starting up the peripheral device, or the
peripheral device was stopped halfway by an interruption while starting
up. In either case, the host computer is unable to grasp precisely the
progress status of start-up processing of the peripheral device. In such
cases, the host computer issues a reset instruction to the peripheral
device to nullify the latter's start-up processing carried out so far
(step 211). Given the reset instruction, the peripheral device performs
reset processing such as removal and reapplication of power. Thereafter,
the host computer in question initiates another start-up processing of the
peripheral device so that any of the host computers connected to the I/O
bus, including that host computer, may use the peripheral device (step
212).
If the start-up status information has led the host computer to conclude
that the peripheral device has completed start-up processing (step 204c),
the host computer referencing the parent device information 18 included in
the peripheral device information identifies the parent function-equipped
host computer which is causing the peripheral device to perform start-up
processing (step 210). If the parent device causing the peripheral device
to execute start-up processing is not that host computer (step 210d), the
host computer in question may issue instructions such as a command to the
peripheral device (step 214). If the parent device information has led the
host computer to conclude that it is the parent device (step 210c), that
means the host computer went down while using the peripheral device. The
peripheral device may operate unpredictably in response to the command
currently in effect. Thus, the host computer cancels the currently issued
command (step 213), and again issues a print or other normal processing
command to the peripheral device (step 214).
What follows is a description of how a host computer issues an inquiry
command in order to recognize the start-up status of a peripheral device,
with an SCSI-2 type I/O bus in use. Before issuing a command, the host
computer enters an arbitration phase to acquire the right to use the SCSI
bus. Then, going into a selection phase, the host computer verifies the
peripheral device and SCSI ID to establish the SCSI interface.
In the process described above, the peripheral device holds in its RAM the
received SCSI ID of the host computer until one command sequence comes to
an end.
The peripheral device initiates its start-up processing upon receipt of a
start-up command. Start-up processing is a procedure by which a peripheral
device downloads from a host computer character fonts and a control
program for use with the device.
As shown in FIG. 6, the peripheral device has a flag set in its RAM to
indicate its start-up status. When switched on or reset, the peripheral
device sets the flag to "00" (yet to be started up). When start-up
processing is initiated, the peripheral device sets the start-up status
flag to "01." The flag thus set indicates that the peripheral device is
currently executing start-up processing (start-up in progress). Upon
normal completion of start-up processing, the peripheral device sets the
flag to "11" indicating that start-up processing has ended (start-up
complete).
Until processing of the start-up command is terminated, the peripheral
device keeps in its RAM that SCSI ID of the parent device which was
received in the selection phase at command reception time.
Upon receipt of an inquiry command from a host computer, the peripheral
device reads from its RAM the above-described flag and the SCSI ID of the
parent device. The two items of information, are added to return data as
start-up status information, and parent device information respectively.
The return data thus prepared is sent back to the host computer in
response to the inquiry command.
As described in conjunction with FIG. 4, the host computer referencing the
peripheral device start-up status information in the return data
determines whether or not the peripheral device needs to be started up.
The host computer proceeds with its operation differently depending on the
result of such determination.
In the embodiment described above, the return data to be sent back in
response to the inquiry command is supplemented with start-up status
information and parent device information. Alternatively, the two items of
information may be transmitted separately in any sequence.
As described, the embodiment of the invention allows interface control to
be effected in a smooth manner. Referencing parent device information,
each host computer is capable of recognizing the parent device that is
currently causing a given peripheral device to perform start-up
processing. The inventive system prevents any one host computer from
monopolizing a peripheral device continuously and keeps a plurality of
host computers from getting into contention or a deadlocked state. These
features enhance the efficiency of system operation.
Conventionally, if any error occurs in a peripheral device during start-up
processing, the peripheral device reports the error to host computers.
With the above embodiment, each peripheral device retains during its
start-up processing the SCSI ID of the parent device having requested the
peripheral device in question to execute start-up processing. This means
that the peripheral device, having developed an error, can identify the
parent device to which to report the error.
The inventive system permits smooth execution of communication between the
configured devices without the use of a specialized I/O bus controller or
software. That is, the system is operated in a simplified and efficient
manner with no increase in load on its devices.
As described, the invention boosts the operative efficiency of an
information processing system comprising host computers, such as personal
computers and workstations, connected to peripheral devices, such as a
printer, through interface arrangements constituting illustratively the
SCSI interface. The inventive system permits smooth communication between
the configured devices without resorting to a special I/O bus controller
or software. The system is operated in a simple and efficient manner with
no increase in load on the devices making up the system. The invention
thus provides significant improvements in the fabrication and operation of
information processing systems.
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